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(snippet) one.
It happened after class on a sunny day, in Leon's first year in the secondary division of the Royal Academy. He had been minding his own business, mostly, when two of the boys in his class cornered him. These boys were Emmanuel Orchide and Lucian Hollie, and he'd already known them both for a little while already.
And honestly, he wish he didn't know either of them. They were both unpleasant at their best, and absolutely nasty at their worst. Which was on display right now, in the way they had him cornered in a hallway shortly after school.
"Hey, Camillia, nice job in class today," Emmanuel said, his lips curling up into a smirk. "You must've really thought you were hot shit today, huh? Answering all the teacher's questions like that?"
Leon snorted. "It's not my fault I actually study."
"Huh?" He frowned angrily. "What'd you say?" He wasn't exactly the sharpest guy in their class-- which was the entire reason Leon had made that comment in the first place. Besides the fact that Leon was, arguably, extremely capable of being an ass.
"I said," and Leon says it slowly, annoyingly slowly, "that you're an idiot."
It was at that point when Emmanuel's fist made contact with his nose.
The force pushed him further against the wall, and Leon lifted a hand to his nose, trying to cover the blood from going everywhere when— he feels a kick to the side, from Lucian, which sends him falling to the floor.
Because even if Leon talked a tough game, he was really quite fragile. And being kicked to the floor was fucking painful as hell.
Thankfully, at that moment, a welcome voice called down the hallway.
"Hey— what're you— Oh my god." The last bit was said as the mysterious owner of the voice came on to the scene, and it was, of course, no one other than Xerxes Lilly. Leon's best friend since he first met him all those years ago.
"Leon? What happened?"
Leon wasn't exactly in good shape to speak, so he just pointed at Emmanuel and Lucian. Xerxes seemed to get the point, and strode over to stand in front of all of him. His voice seemed more commanding— more intimidating than usual. It was hard to know exactly what it was unless you already knew what Xerxes' ability was— the ability to compel people to do what he wanted them to.
A fitting ability for a prince, really.
"Leave," he said, and even if Lucian and Emmanuel grimaced for a moment, eventually they did comply. And with a fair bit of haste, too.
Once they were gone from the scene, Xerxes crouched down in front of Leon.
"Leon, what happened? Are you alright" He held out a hand to hold Leon's, and looked in his eyes.
To say that Leon was struck speechless was a bit of an understatement. He'd known Xerxes was his friend but here he was, holding his hand, asking if he was alright. He was staring into his eyes, and he was completely tongue tied.
He knew it was just the concern that came along with being someone's friend— their best friend even. But suddenly, Leon knew he wanted more.
Not that he'd ever tell Xerxes that. There was no way they'd ever be able to be together, anyways.
He finally finds his words, just to say:
"Don't worry about me, Xerxes. I'm fine."
He looked away before he could see the disappointment in Xerxes' eyes.
And honestly, he wish he didn't know either of them. They were both unpleasant at their best, and absolutely nasty at their worst. Which was on display right now, in the way they had him cornered in a hallway shortly after school.
"Hey, Camillia, nice job in class today," Emmanuel said, his lips curling up into a smirk. "You must've really thought you were hot shit today, huh? Answering all the teacher's questions like that?"
Leon snorted. "It's not my fault I actually study."
"Huh?" He frowned angrily. "What'd you say?" He wasn't exactly the sharpest guy in their class-- which was the entire reason Leon had made that comment in the first place. Besides the fact that Leon was, arguably, extremely capable of being an ass.
"I said," and Leon says it slowly, annoyingly slowly, "that you're an idiot."
It was at that point when Emmanuel's fist made contact with his nose.
The force pushed him further against the wall, and Leon lifted a hand to his nose, trying to cover the blood from going everywhere when— he feels a kick to the side, from Lucian, which sends him falling to the floor.
Because even if Leon talked a tough game, he was really quite fragile. And being kicked to the floor was fucking painful as hell.
Thankfully, at that moment, a welcome voice called down the hallway.
"Hey— what're you— Oh my god." The last bit was said as the mysterious owner of the voice came on to the scene, and it was, of course, no one other than Xerxes Lilly. Leon's best friend since he first met him all those years ago.
"Leon? What happened?"
Leon wasn't exactly in good shape to speak, so he just pointed at Emmanuel and Lucian. Xerxes seemed to get the point, and strode over to stand in front of all of him. His voice seemed more commanding— more intimidating than usual. It was hard to know exactly what it was unless you already knew what Xerxes' ability was— the ability to compel people to do what he wanted them to.
A fitting ability for a prince, really.
"Leave," he said, and even if Lucian and Emmanuel grimaced for a moment, eventually they did comply. And with a fair bit of haste, too.
Once they were gone from the scene, Xerxes crouched down in front of Leon.
"Leon, what happened? Are you alright" He held out a hand to hold Leon's, and looked in his eyes.
To say that Leon was struck speechless was a bit of an understatement. He'd known Xerxes was his friend but here he was, holding his hand, asking if he was alright. He was staring into his eyes, and he was completely tongue tied.
He knew it was just the concern that came along with being someone's friend— their best friend even. But suddenly, Leon knew he wanted more.
Not that he'd ever tell Xerxes that. There was no way they'd ever be able to be together, anyways.
He finally finds his words, just to say:
"Don't worry about me, Xerxes. I'm fine."
He looked away before he could see the disappointment in Xerxes' eyes.